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Friday, April 23, 2010

Tues ToolBox a Few Behind~Measuring EVERYTHING! Fun With Math

When my son was young, I really used hands on things to get points across to him. He loved puzzles and anything tactile, so when it came to measurements, I collected a slew of anything with measurements on it from the yard stick, sewing tape measure, rulers (all kinds~some folded, some where colorful, others were 6 inches others a foot), contruction metal tape measures, measuring spoons, measuring cups, 1/2 pint canning jars (jelly), pint jars, quarts, half-gallon, gallon, five gallon, and we had fun~I put colored water in them or gave him an "assignment" to measure something for me, like a window! We found an out of the way place for the linear measuring items that he could get to easily so whenever anything needed measurments; he would get them for me. For the volume measurements, we would use the water and he could sit and pour and play. I would talk to him as he did this. It was fun and so much learning was done.

To learn about fractions I used paper plates. A whole plate, one in fourths with 1/4 on each piece showing how they are added to become 2/4 or 1/2 ect...and 3/4 and 4/4 or ONE! We did it in 1/3s, with the same method and also into halves. This made it all so concrete and was really inexpensive. (I also used a paper plate to help them make a clock to tell time.) All you need is a paper brad, a piece of paper like cardstock or construction paper and a crayon or marker. Write the numbers and put the brad in the center with minute and hour hands. Let your child practice telling time! It can be a game~"What time is it?" showing a certain time. Also you can use this at naps or bedtime for young children to bring time into the concrete real world for them.

To teach time in another way besides the paper plate clock showing order and sequence, you can make a paper chain and string it into your child's room. Put the exact number of chains you are counting down with your child whether it is a holiday or an event like Sunday, the Lord's day of worship you want your child to look forward to each week. Each night as you tuck your little in bed, tare off a chain. Discuss the day of the week, and you can even have a calendar by the bedside too so that a number day of the month and name of the month become associated with time too. This helps with the questions of HOW MANY DAYS are left when your child can be involved in counting them LITERALLY down! This is so simple, but it works! You can also put a set of objects in a container and take each out one at a time so your child can see the number lowering. This would be a way to count objects too, which is a whole NUTHER MATH SKILL!! LOL!

Measuring everything can be done in easy and fun ways!
SisterTipster<3

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